Rental Central

Tom Doty Times Columnist

November 14, 2013

One movie everyone heard has about hit the shelves alongside a half-dozen that are worth your time but were M.I.A. on DVD until now.

“Man of Steel” — The latest Superman flick boasts a talented director in Zack Snyder (“The Watchmen”) and a budget that would kickstart the economy. That said, it is a hit and miss affair. The film decides to tell the origin story all over again and this takes up a good half of the movie. The highpoints are the performances by Henry Cavill, as Superman, and Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe as his earth and birth dads. The effects are great, but the film slogs along until the final hour, when it becomes a non-stop action blowout, as General Zod appears with a small army and bids that earth turn over Superman or face annihilation.

“Grabbers” — A female law officer journeys to a remote Irish island to run the police department but winds up tangling with a mutated sea beast in this energetic terror flick. The job appears to be a dull one, as she gets her tour of duty started, but soon there are missing boat crews, whales washing up on shore, and a fisherman who catches a bizarre beast with swarming tentacles in his traps. It all adds up to Euro-terror and sci-fi excitement.

“Shoot the Sun Down” — A quartet of treasure seekers have a falling out over some treasure in this forgotten film from the 1970s. Worth a look for the cool cast (led by Christopher Walken and Margot Kidder) and a spaghetti western-meets-“Treasure of Sierra Madre” vibe.

“Six-Gun Collection” — Less than 10 bucks will get you this treat that features six oaters from the 1970s. You get a real assortment of quality product here. Clint Walker stars in a remake of “Yuma.” Bruce Dern plays the narrator of three eerie western terror tales in “Into the Bad Lands” and John Astin is hilarious as “Evil Roy Slade.” The latter is a real corker of a comedy that pokes fun at all of the trademark western clichés. Al this and three other flicks make this one a bargain.